I. Field of the Invention
The present subject matter relates: generally to telephones possessing dynamic memory repertory call signal generation (379/356); more particularly to such telephones further capable of transmitting digital message signals over a telephone line and having a visual display (379/93.17); and most particularly to such telephones (379/356 and 93.17) further possessing the capability of alphabetic character generation in addition to numeric character generation with a conventional, twelve key, keypad augmented by four additional function keys.
II. Prior Art
Telephones are considered to be well known devices which permit spoken conversation between remotely located individual persons utilizing conversion of voice, i.e. audio waves, to electricity and vice versa. Each conversation relies upon a xe2x80x98linexe2x80x99 connection between at least two telephonic devices each identified by a xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99 or code. Initiation of a xe2x80x98telephone callxe2x80x99 hence requires entrance of the code identifying the device desired and a keypad possessing twelve keys is typically provided on each telephone for this purpose. Keypads are considered to be well known particularly for generation of numeric characters, or numerics for sake of brevity, upon a variety of devices including calculators and telephones.
It is noted that prior to the prevalence of digital technology telephones typically were equipped with dials possessing ten different radially spaced apertures determining the length of an analog tone corresponding to the ten digits 0-9. The typical modern twelve key keypad commonly found on digital telephones today is recognized as a descendent of this previous analog dial and the source of the term xe2x80x98dial tonexe2x80x99 which is heard when a telephone is activated for use and which indicates that a serviceable connection to a public branch exchange (PBX) has been activated and that entrance of a valid telephone number will xe2x80x98ringxe2x80x99 another telephonic device identified by that number if operably connected to that or another PBX.
The standard twelve key telephone keypad has three columns and four rows with the uppermost or first row comprised of the numeric digits 1-3, the second row comprised of the numeric digits 4-6, the third 7-9 and the last or bottom row xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99, xe2x80x980xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99. Each of these twelve characters is typically printed upon one key with the numbers 2-9 further having three English alphabetic characters, i.e. letters, printed upon or proximate the key concerned beginning with xe2x80x98ABCxe2x80x99 below the xe2x80x982xe2x80x99 key and ending with xe2x80x98WXYxe2x80x99 below the xe2x80x989xe2x80x99 key wherein the letters xe2x80x98Qxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Zxe2x80x99 are omitted and the xe2x80x980xe2x80x99 key is reserved for xe2x80x98operatorxe2x80x99.
The xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 keys or asterisk and number keys are more commonly known as xe2x80x98starxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98poundxe2x80x99 keys. Star is used as a commonly recognized symbol and pound, a quaint designation of the old English and only currently American unit of weight, is utilized to distinguish this key from the actual numbers represented by other keys. The original purpose of the xe2x80x98starxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98poundxe2x80x99 keys is unknown to the present author but for present purposes this is unimportant. Each of these keys is now utilized as a xe2x80x98functionxe2x80x99 key in that each generates a digital xe2x80x98tonexe2x80x99 or signal which can be interpreted in any variety of ways by any system. xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 keys are, in other words, wild cards which can signify anything desired and which are generally recognized as being useful for signalling the termination of a code comprised of a series of numeric signals generated by the other keys.
The alphabetic characters associated with the numerics 2-9 also derive from a now archaic system from the earlier analog age whereby the xe2x80x98exchangexe2x80x99 comprised of the first three numbers of the old, local, seven digit United States system was selected on the basis of the name of a locality. For any given city or other essentially regional PBX possessing and identified by the same xe2x80x98area codexe2x80x99 or the first three digits of the still current, though its days are numbered, ten digit number system utilized in the United States, individual localities or neighborhoods were commonly known by names reflected in the xe2x80x98exchangexe2x80x99 number. These alphabetic characters where hence intended as an aid in remembering multiple digit telephone numbers, and are today used by many as an aid in remembering personal identification numbers (PINs). These alphabetic characters were intended to support the use of mnemonics: to assist people in remembering numbers by association with names which were and are still today considered more easily remembered than numbers.
It is for this reason that, even today in the xe2x80x98digital agexe2x80x99, manually inscribed directories in which names are alphabetically organized are considered a commonplace. xe2x80x98Electronic organizersxe2x80x99 with dynamic memory, visual displays, and alphanumeric keyboards are also a commonplace but the fact remains that the device, which for present purposes is the digital equivalent to a manually inscribed directory or address book, is another device which is separate from a telephone. And it is recognized that the presently concerned subject matter requires certain attributes of an electronic organizer including dynamic memory for variable input of names and telephone numbers in a directory, a visual display, and a key input device capable of generating alphabetic and numeric characters.
The electronic organizer, however, possesses an alphanumeric keypad with a greater number of keys than is generally considered desirable on a telephone. Portable xe2x80x98laptopxe2x80x99 computers are also known which further possess the capability of sending digital messages over telephone lines, even through a radio frequency (RF) connection in the manner of a portable RF telephone. However, a telephone, in contrast to electronic organizers or laptop computers, primarily supports voice derived signal communication in transmission and reception with telephonic addresses being obtained with a numeric series code, i.e. a xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99, and does not readily accommodate an alphanumeric keyboard owing to physical dimensional restrictions.
A conventional telephonic keypad, as discussed above, has only twelve keys. Modern xe2x80x98cellularxe2x80x99 RF telephones, wherein the xe2x80x98cellxe2x80x99 is the area encompassed by an RF transponder, are commonly equipped with more than twelve keys but invariably still possess a basic twelve key keypad possessing the numerics 0-9, and the two symbols xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99, and xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 which function in the manner expected in telephonic communications digital or otherwise. Additional keys are provided for power state, commencing transmission, commencing reception, and other functions essential to operation. A visual display of the xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99 being entered for transmission is also a common attribute of portable RF telephones and this feature further readily accommodates visual display of an incoming xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99 prior to xe2x80x98picking upxe2x80x99 or commencing reception. The conventional twelve key numeric keypad, however, is inherently unsuited to alphabetic character generation as the alphabetic characters thereupon were only intended in support of mnemonics.
As mentioned earlier the conventional twelve key telephonic keypad omits the letters xe2x80x98Qxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Zxe2x80x99. It is considered that even with correction of this defect with addition of these characters to the xe2x80x981xe2x80x99 key, for example, with a mode change accomplished by stroking the xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 key and entrance with stroking of the xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 key the fact that three alphabetic characters are associated with most of the keys requires entrance of three separate strokes of each key to generate the third character. This arrangement, moreover, is considered typical of current alphabetic character generation with a conventional twelve key keypad. Aside from any other disadvantage presented by the conventional telephonic keypad using the basic alphabetic designation thereupon three separate keystrokes for the generation of a single alphabetic character is simply considered excessively awkward in operation.
In deference to this inherent difficulty current portable RF telephones with a screen for visual display neither provide for alphabetic character generation nor for a directory but simply use the screen for either displaying the number entered for transmission or incoming reception, as is commonly known, or for navigating a simple decision tree or xe2x80x98branchxe2x80x99 type menu such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,193 issued Feb. 1, 2000 and assigned to Nokia Mobile Phones Limited, Espoo, Finland.
Another approach involves selection of alphabetic characters from a visual display screen using a cursor operated, for example, by a xe2x80x98depressible trackballxe2x80x99 as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,849 issued Nov. 24, 1998 and assigned to Lucent Technologies Inc. of Murray Hill, N.J. Aside from other apparent difficulties to this approach including the expense of the screen required to depict both the alphabet and other desired symbols in addition to the message created therewith for which two large screens are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,841,849, the selection of alphabetic characters from a screen is considered excessively awkward and inherently slower than efficient use of a keypad, even if many keys require three strokes to generate a number of alphabetic characters.
Many other telephonic systems are known which restrict their repertory to previous telephone numbers either called or received. These calls can be tallied and assigned to numbers in accordance with frequency and assigned to specific memory registers for direct selection, such in U.S. Pat. No. 6,249,579 issued Jun. 19, 2001 to Lucent Technologies Inc., and manipulated in other ways which do not require alphabetic character generation.
Previously received telephone numbers can commonly be reviewed with a feature known as xe2x80x98caller IDxe2x80x99 which can carry a name too but has no possible means of alphabetic character generation by the telephone. Caller ID typically presents a series listing of telephone numbers and names if available in chronologically reverse order beginning with the last call received. The memory is limited and the oldest telephone number is deleted to make room for the latest. It is, moreover, considered tedious to review even half of the listing concerned even if successful. In the attempt to more quickly locate a telephone number previously received remembrance of the caller""s location by xe2x80x9cthe various prefixes specific to different telephone networks and different countriesxe2x80x9d is used in searching the call history in U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,451 issued Apr. 18, 2000 and assigned to Acatel of Paris, France.
The previously received telephone numbers and names made available through xe2x80x98caller IDxe2x80x99, known as a xe2x80x98phone bookxe2x80x99 in U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,381 issued Oct. 3, 2000 and assigned to Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson of Stockholm, Sweden, may be selected for storage in memory registers and, as a second step, one or more entries selected for various operations including addition, deletion and calling singly or in conference. All of these features, however, in relying upon previous received telephone numbers and lacking the capability of generating alphabetic characters are considered to possess a fundamental restriction with regard to obtaining a telephone number quickly for a particular party: the data available is that provided by the received calls and this is quite often exclusive of a name. International calls do not yield a name and many parties elect to have their names removed from the information provided by caller I.D.
III. Statement of Need
Because telephone address directories based upon caller ID history rely upon the received information which is often lacking a name, and because the names provided are often longer than desired for entrance quickly, it is considered desirable to have the ability of creating a telephone directory with the active generation of alphabetic characters in addition to numerics. And because the generation of alphabetic characters with the use of three keystrokes is considered excessively awkward and the provision of a full keyboard enabling alphabetic character generation with single keystrokes is considered dimensionally impractical it is considered that a need therefore exists for a telephone possessing a keypad capable of generating a full range of numeric and alphabetic characters which requires no more than two keystrokes for the generation of any character and which possesses a screen for visual display of entries in a telephone address directory each retrievable by the entrance of one or more alphabetic characters including a short first name such as xe2x80x98Jebxe2x80x99, or an abbreviation of the name associated with the telephone number concerned, or even just a single initial such as xe2x80x98Wxe2x80x99, which will enable anyone to quickly retrieve and automatically dial telephone numbers of other parties using alphabetic monikers of the owner""s choosing.
I. Objects of the Invention
A first primary object of the present invention is the provision of a telephone possessing a screen for visual display of entries in a telephone address directory each retrievable by the entrance of one or more alphabetic characters each generated with less than three keystrokes utilizing a twelve key keypad by which numeric telephone addresses may also be entered.
A second primary object of the present invention is the provision of a telephone possessing a screen for visual display of messages comprised of alphabetic characters each generated with less than three keystrokes utilizing a twelve key keypad by which numeric telephone addresses may also be entered.
A third primary object of the present invention is the provision of a telephone possessing a screen for visual display of alphabetic characters each generated with less than three keystrokes utilizing a twelve key keypad by which numeric telephone addresses may also be entered wherein said alphabetic characters are taken from one of two different alphabetic character sets facilitating usage in more than one language.
An auxiliary object of the present invention is the provision of telephone possessing a screen for visual display of alphabetic characters each generated with less than three keystrokes utilizing a twelve key keypad by which numeric telephone addresses may also be entered with a simple, readily understood, character generation system.
Another auxiliary object of the present invention is the provision of telephone possessing a screen for visual display of alphabetic characters each generated with less than three keystrokes utilizing a keypad capable of generating alphabetic and numeric characters with a simple, readily understood, character generation system in which each character is visibly located upon the keypad in a position indicating the keystroke sequence resulting in generation of that character.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention may be appreciated with an understanding of the principles relating to said invention.
II. Principles Relating to the Present Invention
In achievement of the above objects it is suggested that a telephone with a visual display screen and microprocessor based memory in addition to the typical capabilities of a portable, wireless, RF telephone be equipped with a twelve key keypad by which numerics are generated with a single keystroke in one mode and alphabetic characters are generated with either a single keystroke or two coordinated keystrokes in another mode. And it is suggested that a smaller number of additional function keys be provided for various functions including this numeric/alphabetic character mode change. It is recognized that the xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 keys can be utilized as function keys in a second mode while retaining their usual signal function in the numeric mode and specifically suggested that these two keys be utilized as cursor movement keys for visual display upon the screen.
The alphabetic characters are depicted upon the keypad indicating by location the keystrokes required for generation. For one or two strokes of the same key the character generated is preferably depicted upon the key. A single character depicted between two keys is generated by stroking both keys separately in any order, i.e. in either direction. Either of a pair of characters depicted between two keys is generated with a directional sequence of two separate strokes determined by relative proximity of each key to each character. It is specifically suggested that relative proximity to one key indicate a keystroke sequence beginning with that key but the reverse or corollary wherein relative proximity to a key indicates a keystroke sequence ending with that key is considered functionally, if perhaps not quite as intuitively, equivalent in operation. It is also suggested that adaptive recognition be utilized to set time intervals between keystrokes as thresholds distinguishing single from either double or paired keystrokes which are adaptive to the habitual speed of the owner of the telephone.
Ten of the twelve keys of a typical telephone keypad in an alphabetic character generation mode can produce all twenty-six English alphabetic characters along with three more symbols with ten single and nineteen paired keystrokes made between vertically, horizontally, and diagonally adjacent keys in either order. The xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 keys can be reserved for a function such as cursor movement including scrolling through a telephone address directory or xe2x80x98phonebookxe2x80x99. A space character and punctuation symbols along with a backspace or delete function are also suggested.
One guiding principle relating to the present invention is the minimization of the number of keystrokes required to recover and enter a numeric code xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99, especially one which is not remembered, except by name of the person associated with the same. It is hence considered desirable to be able to enter only the first name or a few letters of someone""s last name, or their initials, in order to retrieve a numeric code xe2x80x98telephonexe2x80x99 number associated with that name from memory and simply press a xe2x80x98sendxe2x80x99 key to xe2x80x98dialxe2x80x99 that numeric code xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99. This requires the ability to input into memory the name or other alphabetic character designation along with the numeric code xe2x80x98telephone numberxe2x80x99 associated with that alphabetic character designation. And it is desirable to be able to select from a memory listing which can be scrolled through with the use of at least one key operating a cursor.
An opposed guiding principle relating to the present invention is the maximization of the versatility of a telephone possessing a keypad capable of generating a full range of alphabetic and a useful range of other symbolic characters sufficient for the creation of textual messages for transmission as well as reception and display of similar textual messages. And a corollary guiding principle relating to the present invention is the maximization of the versatility of a telephone possessing a keypad capable of generating a fill range of more than one set of alphabetic characters thereby facilitating operation in more than one language.
It is specifically suggested that operation in English as described above be available in one mode of operation and that a language possessing considerably more alphabetic characters be available in a second mode of operation which differs from the mode outlined above. Both Chinese, with forty-two, and Japanese, with forty-six characters, are specifically addressed. Either may be encompassed as an alternative supplanting, or additionally available to, the mode of English character generation outlined above. In the appropriate mode alphabetic characters of a language possessing considerably more characters than the English language may be obtained with ten keys of a typical twelve key telephonic keypad, while again reserving the xe2x80x98*xe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98#xe2x80x99 keys for cursor control or another function, by utilizing sequentially ordered keystroke pairs wherein the order in which two adjacent keys are stroked as a pair determines which of two different characters are generated.
Detailed discussion of preferred configuration and operation of an embodiment of the principles relating to the present invention may be found below and further benefits and advantages of an embodiment in accordance with said principles discerned in a reading of the same discussion especially if conducted with reference to the drawings attached hereto and briefly described immediately below.